The Truth in the Lies
by Classic Cowboy
Summary: When simply helping Ezra decode an old Imperial Code Sabine's world is turned upside down and brings everything she knows about her life and everything she knows of herself into question. When she can't even trust herself who can she trust? (Ezra/Sabine)
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars Rebels, or anything related to Star Wars which is property of Lucasarts and Walt Disney Productions… _

_This is just going to be a short 3-4 chapter story to buy time till the next episode of the show, if you saw Call to Action you'd know why I'm waiting… if not, no spoilers from me! Enjoy the story! _

Star Wars Rebels:

The Truth in the Lies 

Chapter 1: Traitor?

It was just another day for the Lothal Rebel Cell. They snuck into an Imperial warehouse, caused some explosions, got picked up by the _Ghost_, and now making a few pinball hyperspace jumps around the galaxy to lose any Imps who may have tried to follow.

They have been on the move for over an hour now and Hera, Kanan and Zeb sat in the cockpit watching the twirling blue and black of the hyperspace wormhole. Zeb took a glance at the multicolored seat beside him. "Where are the kids?" he asked and the others finally noticed Ezra and Sabine's absence. "Sabine usually is here staring at the swirly colors. Don't see how any of you can just stare at it… pretty or not, it makes me nauseated…"

Kanan laughed at his friend and stood up. "Might be a good idea to make sure Ezra hasn't tried to disassemble Chopper again."

Hera snickered from her pilot's seat. "And he wonders why Chopper gives him such a hard time…" Hera shook her head then glanced to the Jedi and the Lasat. "He'll behave; Sabine won't let him do otherwise."

"Just like how she wouldn't let him skip training to do … whatever it is those two do when they're away from the ship together?" Kanan quirked an eyebrow.

"They're Kids, mate," Zeb laughed, "Tough as Sabine is, under that ugly armor is a girl not all that older than the Kid. She won't admit it but she loves having someone around her age to hang out with… even if he tries to charm her boots off."

Meanwhile in the _Ghost_'s commons area, Ezra and Sabine sat together on the bench with his parents radio on the table. A rough recording with heavy static filled the air as the two teenagers turned dials and hit buttons trying to clear it up.

"Try turning the low frequency two points… grah…" Ezra half growled shaking his head. "No good…" He quirked an eyebrow when Sabine gave a little laugh. "What?"

"You've picked up your Jedi Master's frustrated growl," she pointed out with a wink.

"I have not…" Ezra half pouted, going back to focusing on his work. Then released the same frustrated growl that Kanan did when his patience was wearing thin, earning a giggle from the girl who was rapidly becoming his best friend.

"Can't you just like… use the Force to decode this thing?" Sabine asked, sitting back in on the bench seat, and absentmindedly throwing an arm around the back behind Ezra.

"The Force isn't some tool that fixes everything," Ezra shrugged, holding out his hand, levitating his tool from the far table. He noticed Sabine's smirk, "What? And besides… it doesn't work like that at all. If I knew exactly what buttons to hit, I could force press them. But I can't just magically pull the code out of my butt." He shook his head as he made a few tweaks on the radio with his tool. "I can't Jedi Mind Trick a machine either."

"Jedi mind trick?" Sabine asked curiously.

"Yeah, one of the dirty tricks in the Jedi bag. Pretty cool one too," Ezra said, focusing on his work, "Can dodge a fight if you make your opponent forget he was supposed to want to fight you, or make them think whatever you want them to think."

"Have you ever mind tricked me?" Sabine asked with a frown and narrowed eyes.

"Yup, that's how I made you fell in love with me," He smirked, earning an eye roll from the girl, "It only works on the weak minded, and believe me, I wouldn't even have to try to know you're anything but that."

"Bet Zeb could be tricked," Sabine laughed, moving into the box to tweak a few controls herself.

"No, didn't work," Ezra said, looking like he was close to getting the code, only to sigh in defeat.

"Wait, you tried to mind trick Zeb?" Sabine turned her attention back to the boy beside her.

Ezra hesitated a moment, "Yeah, make it worse he pretended for a minute, making me think it worked… boy did that back fire on me…"

Her eyes lit up as she put together when this all took place. "That was when he came in and made you a plate of dinner and brought it back to you in your room? Then dumped it on your head?" She asked seriously then broke out in a laugh that he couldn't help but smile at the warmth it brought him hearing it.

"Guilty," He laughed himself, "He got me good for it."

"What are you two up to?" Kanan asked as he entered the commons, with Hera, Zeb, and Chopper following behind.

"Ezra picked up an old Imperial coded message in between jumps last week and he's been obsessing with trying to crack it," Sabine answered.

"Me obsessing? You've been as neck deep in trying to get this thing figured out as me!" Ezra shook his head in disbelief.

"Whoever's obsessing, what do you got?" Kanan asked sitting down on a stool on the far side of the table.

"I think I've…" Ezra started, twisting a dial and jumping when Sabine nudged him. "I mean, I think WE'VE about got it…" Ezra blinked when the static left all together and he could hear a soft low-volume voice. He was so excited about breaking the code that he didn't notice Sabine stand up while holding her head with one hand.

"Wait… did you hear that?" Kanan said, moving closer. "Can you up the volume?"

Ezra turned up the volume and replayed it. Kanan sat back in shock while Hera covered her face in horror at what they heard. "Execute Order 66…"

"Order 66? What's that supposed to be?" Zeb asked blinking in confusion, everyone was focused on the radio and didn't notice Sabine's eyes glazing over as she stared at Ezra and Kanan.

Sabine felt lightheaded, dizzy, and her vision grew dark as if she was passing out, but she oddly didn't feel herself falling. Instead just before she lost all consciousness she could vaguely hear a scream and blaster fire…

\- SW -

Sabine groaned as she slowly came around. If anything, it felt like she was suffering from a massive hangover. While she didn't have much experience with alcohol she did go a little overboard a few times before she joined up with Kanan and Hera's crew.

"Oh my head…" Sabine groaned without opening her eyes, she tried to move her arms to rub her head but suddenly realized her hands were cuffed to the top of a stretcher in the med bay. "Huh?" She asked, her eyes snapping open, seeing that her arms and legs both were restrained. "What's going on? Hera? Kanan? Ezra? Zeb? This isn't funny!"

"Know what's not funny, girl?" Zeb snarled walking around toward her bed, into her view. "Traitors. I used to hear Mandalorians only cared about the highest bidder. So, what was it, Wren, what was your price?" he asked with a look of pure disgust.

"What are you talking about?" Sabine asked shaking her head. "I'm not a traitor. I'd never do anything for them, and you know it!"

"I used to think you wouldn't," Zeb growled, "IF you make it off this ship I wonder if you can sleep at night… knowing how much that Kid thought of you and you…"

"Zeb, back off!" Kanan ordered from the doorway. "I need to talk to Sabine alone."

"You expect me to leave her alone with…" Zeb growled protectively.

"You're not, I'm here," Kanan said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, and Zeb reluctantly left the med bay.

"Kanan, I don't understand what's going on!" Sabine shook her head, and again fought against her restraints. "Why does Zeb think I'm a traitor!?"

Kanan frowned when it appeared that the girl was honestly frightened and confused.

"Do you honestly not remember what you did?" Kanan asked in a sad tone, leaning against the railing of her bed.

"The last thing I remember… Ezra and I broke the coded message, and… and… I don't remember anything else…" Sabine replied, "Kanan, what's going on? Tell me what's going on…"

"You really… don't remember…" Kanan closed his eyes and sighed.

"REMEMBER WHAT?!" Sabine was losing patience. "If this is some kind of prank…"

"It's no prank, Sabine…" Kanan shook his head, then glanced to the bed across from her.

Sabine followed his eyes and gasped when she saw Ezra lying deathly still, and it looked like his chest wasn't rising with breath. "Ezra! What happened to him?! Kanan?!" her wide brown eyes turned to the Jedi.

"What happened to him?" Kanan said, more than a hint of bitterness in his voice as he gazed at his Padawan. "You happened…" he said, and Sabine's eyes widened in horror. "You shot him."

**To Be Continued… **


	2. Chapter 2

**Note: Here are the incomplete plans for my Rebels "Expanded Universe" chronology: (BBY = Before Battle of Yavin/ ABY = After Battle of Yavin ). It is tentative and can change. **

**5 years BBY – "Star Wars Rebels season 1" (Disney XD series)**

_**5 years BBY – "The Truth in the Lies" (In Progress - Part One of the Mandalore Trilogy)**_

**4 years BBY – "The Loss of Hope" (Completed and Updated)**

**0 years BBY – "A New Hope" (In Progress part 1 of the Star Wars Trilogy) **

**0 years BBY – "Blood and Water" (working title – coming soon)**

**2 years ABY - "Revenge of the Death Watch" ( working title - coming soon – Part 2 of the Mandalore Trilogy)**

**3 years ABY – "The Empire Strikes Back" (coming soon – part 2 of the Star Wars Trilogy)**

**3 years ABY – "Rise of the Duchess" (coming soon – part 3 of the Mandalore Trilogy)**

**4 years ABY – "The Return of the Jedi" (coming soon – part 3 of the Star Wars Trilogy)**

**5 years ABY – "In the End, At the Beginning" (Coming soon)**

**9 years ABY "The Thrawn Crisis" (Coming soon)**

**Star Wars: Rebels****  
The Truth in the Lies**

Chapter 2: Simple and Easy

"I… I… what?" Sabine asked as she felt a cold chill run down her spine and her chest constrict.

"You need to answer me, Sabine," Kanan said with a hardness she'd never heard addressed toward her before. "What do you remember?"

"Is Ezra ok?" She asked in a small voice, craning her neck to try to get a better look at her friend. "Please … tell me I didn't …"

Kanan took a deep breath before he responded. "He was lucky. After Zeb and Hera took you down, I put him in a healing trance that gave us enough time to treat his wounds… barely." The Jedi said, glancing toward his wounded Padawan. "Now. Answer the question."

"Kanan…" Sabine kept trying to see Ezra, but gasped when Kanan roughly placed his hand on her cheek and forced her to look him in the eye.

"Sabine. NOW!" he growled, and he could tell it frightened the girl, but at the moment he didn't have the luxury to care.

"I… Ezra and I were trying to clear up that code… and… I suddenly got some weird headache… I got up to try to get a pain pill out of the cabinet when I heard something about an order… and… I felt like I was about to pass out… I heard blaster fire and someone screaming…" She looked pleadingly toward her leader, "That's all I remember, I swear… I don't know what happened!"

"You're not lying to me?" He glared right into her eyes, and she couldn't be certain he wasn't using the force to read her mind.

Both Sabine and Kanan glanced up when the door opened and Hera and Zeb walked in. Zeb gave her an angry glare while the heartbroken-looking Hera avoided looking in her direction. "Hera… Zeb… I don't know… please…" She begged but both didn't say anything to her.

"We thought it would be best if Ezra woke up in his own room away from…" Hera drifted off, finally glancing toward the restrained Mandalorian. The sad expression on Sabine's mentor's face broke the girl's heart even more.

'What is happening to me?' Sabine frowned.

"We're… going to figure this out, Sabine," Kanan said, patting the railing of her bed then followed Hera and Zeb out of the room, leaving the girl alone with only her thoughts, struggling to recall and come to terms with what she had apparently done.

"Please be ok, Ezra…" She whispered out loud, a soft prayer to the Force which seemed to have saved his life from her.

-SW-

Ezra slowly groaned as he felt himself coming back around in darkness. With a few blinks his eye sight cleared and he saw Zeb looking down at him. "Not exactly the prettiest face to wake up to on the ship…" Ezra grunted earning a grin from his roommate.

He'd much rather wake up to the smiling face of …

"SABINE!" Ezra sat up quickly, but almost collapsed at the pain in his chest.

"Easy, Kid!" Zeb gently pushed him back down.

"What happened?" Ezra asked clutching his bandaged chest. "Something happened to her! Is Sabine ok?"

"She's… we're working it out, Kid," Zeb said, avoiding his gaze. "We'll talk more on her after you get some rest. You got shot point blank in the chest twice, Kid. Even a Jedi can't just walk that off with a shrug."

"But…" Ezra struggled to sit up but Zeb shook his head.

"Don't make me regret letting you have the bottom bunk, brat," Zeb half-snarled, moving toward the door, "Going to tell Hera and Kanan you're awake. Stay put."

Ezra pouted and glared at his friend but laid back against the pillow.

Zeb studied him a moment before he turned and walked out of the room. Ezra waited a few minutes before climbing out of bed, much easier this time. His chest was throbbing but it wasn't that much more painful than the time he was hit by a speeder back on the streets.

Ever so carefully Ezra scaled up into the ventilation shaft of the Ghost and moved over to the commons area where he heard Hera, Kanan and Zeb talking.

"…I think it would have been better if she was a traitor…" Zeb sighed, crossing his arms.

"It had to have happened at the academy," Kanan shook his head then glanced to the captain, "Do you know how long she attended there, Hera?"

"She's never said, just that she was disillusioned by their secrets and do as I say without question philosophies…" Hera replied.

"With her having no idea what they did to her… or what triggers that… I do know she responded to Order 66. It's likely she may respond to other code words as well…" Kanan said, glancing to his companions. "She's a danger to us and herself…"

"So what do we do?" Zeb asked, "What happens if we go on a mission, we depend on her, and one of those code words come up and she turns on us?"

"I've spoken with Ahsoka," Hera said after a moment, and seemed to hesitate. "She's said she could set her up in a non-field cell. It would be best for everyone."

Kanan sighed, "Ezra won't go for that… he'll fight it tooth and nail…"

"Even after she shot him, twice?" Zeb asked, "I mean… Force, the Kid was dead for about thirty seconds… Till you got him breathing again…"

"What other options do we have?" Hera asked softly. "It's far too dangerous to go to Mandalore… the Imperial presence there would rip us apart before we even got close… And even if we could get there it'd be next to impossible to get to the academy and investigate what they did to her… even if the information is still there."

Ezra had heard enough, and turned and started making his way toward the medical bay.

-SW-

Sabine sat in darkness and silence. She couldn't remember it, but the detailed and artistic imagination that she cherished and loved so much had turned on her as she had her best friend. She could just imagine herself, drawing her blaster, and turning to Ezra. Seeing his bright blue eyes looking at her, so trusting, trusting in her. He'd smile like he always does when she's giving him attention. A smile that she's noted he only gives her. Then she would lift her blaster and aim it at him, and before he could even lose that trusting, loving smile, she'd fire striking him in the chest. His face would change to that of a pained expression, before his body would fall, his chest smoking from the burnt hole, blood oozing out from the open wound. "Ezra…" She whimpered, closing her eyes tight, trying to get the imaginary image from her mind.

Her brown eyes snapped open when she heard someone kicking the vent plate. She gasped when she saw the young Padawan drop to the floor before her bed. "Ezra, get out of here… what if I… I could kill you!" Sabine hissed, as he silently approached. "Ezra! Are you listening to me?" She asked, but he remained silently watching the door.

She gasped when he lifted his lightsaber from his belt, and with a _pop hiss_ he illuminated the room in the blue light of his blade. She stared at it for a moment. This is actually how she wants to go. Not killed by an enemy, but stopped by her best, truest friend. One who she had begun to let inside her emotional armor. One who she had betrayed and almost killed. "Ezra… Do it quickly…" She said, closing her eyes and relaxing.

She heard the sound of the lightsaber blade singing through the air, but instead of the sound of hit striking her flesh, she heard it slicing through metal. She blinked in surprise when she heard him deactivated the blade. She looked when she saw him place it back on the belt. "C'mon, Sabine, we're getting out of here."

"What?" Sabine asked in stupefied confusion.

"Can you walk or not? Cause my chest is still sore and I'm not sure I can carry you," He then flushed, "Not that you're heavy, your armor is though…"

"But Ezra…" Sabine stared at him.

"Look, do you want whatever's wrong with you fixed or not?" Ezra asked, holding out his hand. "I know it wasn't you, but I know we can undo whatever they did to you. You just have to trust me. You do trust me, right, Sabine?"

Sabine stared at his hand. Trusting the young Jedi wasn't an issue. Not in the least. Herself at the moment was her greatest challenge. Finally after a moment, she put her faith in the Force and the young man before her who was learning to wield it, and took his hand.

The two teenagers made their way out of the med bay, Sabine's helmet in one hand, Ezra's hand in her other. Both gasped when they ran into Chopper in the hallway. His dome spun in agitation and alert, but before he could do anything, Ezra lifted the small droid with the Force and threw him into his and Zeb's quarters, and quickly closed the door. "Ezra!" Sabine gasped, as Ezra drew his saber and stabbed the locking control.

"No choice, we can't let them know we're on the move. Not yet." Ezra shook his head, "c'mon, we have to hurry." He said, pulling her toward the nearest emergency hatch.

The duo opened the hatch, and looked out into the starlit Lothal sky. "Ladies first," Ezra smiled, motioning toward their exit. A stray thought hit Sabine's back, 'he wants me to go first so he wouldn't open his back to me…' she frowned behind her helmet's faceplate, before jumping out and rolling on the cool grass. A moment later, Ezra jumped and rolled but didn't immediately go to his feet as she did.

Instead, the boy stayed on his knees and hugged his chest as he gasped for breath. "Let's go back in, Ezra, you're hurt…" Sabine said, placing an arm around her shoulder.

"No, getting you better is more important," Ezra said, his blue eyes looking at her with the determination of a full Jedi Master, a role at that moment she knew he was going to reach.

"So, what's the plan?" Sabine asked, helping him to his feet and they started running across the field away from the _Ghost_. "You do have a plan, right?"

"Of course I have a plan!" Ezra shouted, then smiled sheepishly, "Kinda…"

"Then, I'm kinda worried…" Sabine shook her head, noting that their fingers were interlocked.

"Go to Visago, get him to help us get a transport to Mandalore. From there, find the Imperial Academy there. Once there we find out what they did to you, then undo it. Then we come home. Simple and easy."

"Yeah, what could go wrong?" Sabine asked, causing her companion to sigh.

"Nothing till you said that…" Ezra grumbled.

**To Be Continued… **


	3. Chapter 3

Warning, this chapter will get confusing, but that's intentional. ;) enjoy!

Note: Here are the incomplete plans for my Rebels "Expanded Universe" chronology: (BBY = Before Battle of Yavin/ ABY = After Battle of Yavin ). It is tentative and can change.

**5 years BBY – "Star Wars Rebels season 1" (Disney XD series)**

_**5 years BBY – "The Truth in the Lies" (In Progress - Part One of the Mandalore Trilogy)  
**_**  
4 years BBY – "The Loss of Hope" (Completed and Updated)**

**0 years BBY – "A New Hope" (In Progress part 1 of the Star Wars Trilogy) **

**0 years BBY – "Blood and Water" (working title – coming soon)**

**2 years ABY - "Revenge of the Death Watch" ( working title - coming soon – Part 2 of the Mandalore Trilogy)**

**3 years ABY – "The Empire Strikes Back" (coming soon – part 2 of the Star Wars Trilogy)**

**3 years ABY – "Rise of the Duchess" (coming soon – part 3 of the Mandalore Trilogy)**

**4 years ABY – "The Return of the Jedi" (coming soon – part 3 of the Star Wars Trilogy)**

**5 years ABY – "In the End, At the Beginning" (Coming soon)**

**9 years ABY "The Thrawn Crisis" (Coming soon)**

**Star Wars: Rebels  
****The Truth in the Lies  
**  
_**Chapter 3: Homecoming **_

Sabine sighed as she sat alone in a small booth at a small diner in Capitol City. The plan had started to unravel on them. Visago was a complete bust. Ezra already owed him a favor for the info that led to the rescue of Kanan when he was in Governor Tarkin's hands. On top of that, the price for a commercial transport to Mandalore was too expensive for what credits they had on them, and they couldn't exactly go back to Hera and Kanan and ask for more…

Ezra said he had another plan, but as the minutes passed like hours, she was starting to lose what faith she had left. She knew what was coming. They'd have to go back, and for the safety of the others she'd be sent off to another Rebel Cell away from them, if not outright imprisoned. If she could unconsciously hurt her own best friend, who wouldn't she hurt?

"Ready to get off this dust ball?" She blinked when she saw the slightly pale Ezra standing before her, with a proud smile under his weak eyes.

"And how are we going to do that?" Sabine asked, quirking an eyebrow at her friend. "Sneak on a transport?"

"Nope, we buy a ticket. I got enough Credits to get us there, have some decent accommodations on Mandalore, then a trip back. And likely have enough to give back to Hera afterwards," He said holding a handful of golden credits.

"Where did those come from?" Sabine asked standing up, "You didn't steal from someone, did you?"

"Nope, got these fair and square," Ezra nodded. Sabine gave him a firm glare. "I sold the house, ok?"

"Ok? You did WHAT?!" Sabine's eyes widened, "Ezra, you can't! That's your home!"

"No it's not, not anymore anyway…" Ezra said, glancing away, "My home is with you… err… and the others, the _Ghost._ Just like how it's your home, too. The only thing the old place was good for now was getting you to where they can help you. So, let's get moving."

Sabine stared at him for a several moments before finally nodded, and motioned for him to lead the way.

The two walked out of the diner, but Ezra stiffened and grabbed her. Ducking behind a couple of transport crates and held her head down. "Ezra! What are…"

"Shhhh!" He placed a hand over her mouth, and glanced up slightly.

He ducked down again as Kanan and Zeb walked past, obviously looking for them. "Quiet… Kanan and Zeb are out there."

"They're our friends…" Sabine said with a small smile.

"Until we get this figured out and you back to normal… no they're not…" Ezra shook his head.

Sabine had never seen the young Jedi so serious. "We'll go home soon, I promise, Sabine. Trust me."

"I trust you…" Sabine nodded, reaffirming her trust in her best friend.

Ezra took another peak, then nodded, "Let's get to the space port…" Sabine stood to her feet, and concern washed over her face as Ezra hesitated a moment, clutching his wounded chest.

"Ezra?" She asked, offering her hand.

"I'm alright, just give me a second…" He wheezed, before climbing to his feet. "Let's get out of here."

The two teens carefully made their way through Capitol City to the space port, and came to a stop at the ticket booth.

"Tickets for two to Mandalore? Reason for travel?" the clerk asked, as Ezra passed the amount due.

"My girlfriend's family, her mother is sick, possibly dying. She wants to be able to say goodbye in person and not on a halo…" Ezra said sadly, sliding more credits toward the man. Sabine played along, glancing away and faking a sniffle.

"My condolences," the man gave a small smile, sliding two tickets to Ezra, "Transport T-Z-945A7. Have a pleasant trip."

The trip through the space port was eventless, though Sabine studied Ezra carefully, when his hand would go to his chest absentmindedly.

Ezra led Sabine down the crowded isle of the commercial transport, he found their seat and was about to collapse in the window seat when Sabine cleared her throat.

"Sabine?" Ezra asked, glancing to the girl curiously.

"Some boyfriend… taking the window seat from me…" Sabine pouted, fighting the laugh as Ezra's eyes widened.

"B-B-Boyfriend?" He stuttered, staring at the girl.

"You said I was your girlfriend…" She smiled teasingly, and as the memory returned to the forefront he rolled his eyes.

"Your seat, m'lady," Ezra gave one of his overly-the-top smiles and motioned for the window seat. Sabine gave a mock-curtsy before taking her seat, and Ezra sat down beside her. More like he fell into it.

"Are you SURE you're ok, Ezra?" Sabine asked worriedly, placing her helmet in her lap.

"Just need some rest," Ezra smiled softly.

"Going to be a long flight, so you'll have plenty of time," She said, unconsciously placing her hand over his. "Sleep. That's what I'm going to do."

Sabine watched over him as he slowly drifted off to sleep. She then quietly flagged down a stewardess, and asked for a large blanket. She quickly returned with the blanket and handed to the Mandalorian girl. Sabine carefully draped it over Ezra's shoulders, before lifting the middle arm rest, and tucking herself in beside him. As the transport lifted off she gave him one last soft smile before she rested her head on his shoulder, and followed him off to sleep.

-SW-

"_Zeb! Get them out of here, NOW!"_

"_Like we're leaving you, Boss, We'll just team smack down this guy like we did the other one!"_

"_This is different, Zeb…" _

"_Master…"  
_

"_Ezra, you have to make sure Hera's safe for me. I promise, I'm not going to leave any of you…"_

"Take care of them… Take care of Hera for me. I believe in you, Ezra. You'll be a powerful Jedi one day… And Ezra… May… May the Force be with you… Always…"

"Promise me… Promise me you'll never… NEVER face Vader…"

"Have you ever considered that maybe… Master Kenobi was talking about… you?"

"_You've definitely brought hope to me…" _

"_You got me something? Gimme!" _

"_The tone of the color combinations and angular strokes… Oh Ezra!" _

"_You are no Jedi, not yet." _

"_You have much anger in you, Ezra, much hatred. To be a Jedi, you must let it go. You must find peace in all situations."_

"I can't! THEY TOOK HIM FROM ME! THEY TOOK THEM ALL FROM ME…"

"_They haven't taken everything, Ezra… You still have me… and the others. You're not alone." _

"_Ezra… protect of my daughter." _

Ezra gasped as he woke suddenly. He took several deep breaths, and the scent of sweet berry shampoo and hair dye filled his senses, as well as a soft but noticeable snoring coming from his shoulder.

He glanced down at her sleeping face. Even after almost a year traveling together on the _Ghost, _her face still made his heart skip a beat. She was completely relaxed against his shoulder with her mouth slightly open with a small drip of drool sliding down the corner of her mouth along with a soft snoring and snorting. "Sabine? We're about to land. Time to wake up."

She snorted and released an angry snore before she cuddled closer, unconsciously wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Sabine…" Ezra struggled not to laugh, and her brown eyes slowly fluttered open. They darted around in confusion for a moment before she looked up into his eyes. She stared for a fraction of a second before she jumped away.

She tried but failed to cover the move with stretching her arms over her head. "Good morning, Ezra. Did you sleep ok?"

"Best night I've had in a long time, Sabine," Ezra flashed one of his charming smiles. "Sure it had everything to do with the company." He blinked in surprised when instead of an eye roll, Sabine glanced away, looking almost shy. If he didn't know any better anyway. He sat up and stretched himself, but gasped and held his chest.

"Ezra?" Sabine asked, placing a hand over his on his chest. "Maybe we should find a medic first…"

"No, I'm ok… just tender…" Ezra explained, calling on the Force to push the pain away, as Kanan had trained him when he first gained the scars on his cheek.

"Ezra, look," Sabine looked out the window and pointed at a gigantic black Bio-cube standing out on an ocean of white sand. "My home…"

"What is that?" Ezra said, looking at the dome in which they were circling closer to.

"It's Sundari, my home city," She said, unable to fight off the smile on her face. "Not all good memories, but it still feels good to come home."

Ezra had to admit it was far more impressive than even Capital City on Lothal. The shuttle flew through a seal into the artificial environment and massive city. Sabine pointed out various places as they flew over the city. Among the extravagant towers and artificial parks was the former Royal Palace of Duchess Satine Kryze which had long since been sealed, Peace Park, Mandalore Banking Center, and finally the space port. They sat back as the shuttle came in for a landing then made their way out.

"We'll need a speeder," Sabine said, looking around for a rental. "You said we have enough credits, Ezra?"

"Yeah, so where to first?" Ezra said, as they made their way to a rental kiosk, putting an order for a two seat airspeeder.

"Our best bet is to go to the Academy. That had to be where they did… whatever they did to me…" Sabine said, hugging herself.

"Hey, chin up," Ezra placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "We're going to get this figured out."

Sabine took a deep breath and nodded to her friend as the speeder pulled around on remote. "Let's go," Sabine said, jumping into the driver's seat.

"Are we just going to drive into the Imperial Academy?" Ezra asked, glancing to the girl as she slid her helmet on.

"Of course not, Ezra," Sabine nodded, "You're breaking us in."

-SW-

Any and all break in plans stopped when the speeder stopped just overlooking where Sabine remembered the Imperial Academy, then on to where she remembered the main entrance.

"Sabine, are you sure you didn't just got lost and forgot?" Ezra said looking around at the hundreds of years old burnt out tower and various ruins on the outermost part of the city.

"It was here," Sabine said, glancing around at the ruins. "It was right here!" She walked over, "The main barricade and gates were here, and the barracks were over there…" She walked over a few yards and pointed. "And the main complex was right here!"

"Sabine, this is the wall of the bio-cube, I think… there's not enough room for a major complex," he said, pointing to the large barrier on the far side of the long since burnt out tower. "And this… these burns are very old, Sabine…" Ezra said, inspecting the old tower, "And it was a commercial complex… not military…"

"I'm not crazy!" She yelled, shaking her head.

"I'm not calling you crazy, Sabine," Ezra said softly, "It has been several years…"

"It hasn't been THAT long…" Sabine argued.

"But these have been, there wasn't a military academy here, Sabine…" Ezra walked up to her, "How about your family. You had family here right? Can we go to them and ask where the academy actually was? You may just be turned around."

"Right, I do have family… they were sympathetic to the Empire but they don't have to know we're Rebels," Sabine literally ran to the speeder, missing Ezra taking a moment to clutch his chest, take a deep breath then follow behind. As the speeder took to the air, a lone figure stepped out of the shadows, in dark blue and grey Mandalorian armor covering feminine curves.

"Sabine?" She whispered, before activating her rocket pack and following them from above.

-SW-

Sabine fell to her knees by the speeder. "I… I don't understand…" she asked as her helmet fell unceremoniously to her side.

"Sabine… maybe…" Ezra tried to come up with an explanation, but came up completely empty. The just looked up at Clone Wars era republic cruiser crash site. Both knew that this type ship belonged to the Republic and was completely discontinued shortly after the Galactic Empire was formed. But it was the only thing here, and no signs of any settlement that Sabine had remembered living in just a few short years earlier.

"My family home was right here…" Sabine shook her head, tears starting to form. "It was here, Ezra…"

Ezra sighed and glanced to her. But she shook her head and jumped away from his outstretched hand. "You don't trust me now, do you? You think I led you on a wild goose chase… that I brought you here… away from the others… you think I'm going to hurt you again, don't you? Don't you?" She asked, her eyes growing slightly wild from her shock and confusion.

"Sabine, tell me what you remember, maybe we can back track farther…" Ezra stated, placing a hand over his wounded chest "I do trust you. But we need to work this out."

"No you don't trust me, I can tell… I don't even trust me right now, Ezra…" Sabine shook her head, "I don't… what?" She was cut off when she felt a cool metal object placed in her hand. She looked down to see his lightsaber in her palm. "What?"

"I trust you, Sabine," Ezra said forcefully, taking a step back away from her. "I trust you with my life."

"Now…" Ezra pressed, attempting to force down another wave of lightheadedness down. "Go back. Think. Try to remember your home and the academy."

"Before I lived here, I was with my Aunt… but I never did know exactly where we were… she was rebelling against the Empire as well…" Sabine recalled, hugging herself, with the lightsaber still held firm as if she was lost in an ocean and it was her life preserver. "I… She sent me to live with family here for my safety… They didn't treat me well so I ran away to the Imperial Academy…"

"That wasn't what happened, Sabine…" a feminine voice spoke up.

Ezra and Sabine turned to see the blue and grey Mandalorian woman approaching them. She removed her helmet, to let her long red hair spill down over her armor. She opened her hazel eyes and studied Sabine as if she hadn't seen her in years... Which was the truth.

"Aunt Bo?" Sabine whispered in shock.

"What did the Empire do to you?" Sabine's long lost aunt asked staring at Sabine sadly.

"I don't know…" Sabine replied softly, hugging herself, uncertainty overflowing her perception.

Before either woman could converse any more, the sound of a body hitting the ground echoed beside the pink-armored Mando. Sabine turned quickly to see Ezra laying face first on the ground.

"EZRA!"

**To Be Continued… **

A/N if anyone's seen Clone Wars, you may recognize Sabine's aunt… Next chapter, with the help of her aunt, Sabine and Ezra find out the truth of her past… and some secrets might have been best left buried…


	4. Chapter 4

Note: Here are the incomplete plans for my Rebels "Expanded Universe" chronology: (BBY = Before Battle of Yavin/ ABY = After Battle of Yavin ). It is tentative and can change.

**5 years BBY – "Star Wars Rebels season 1" (Disney XD series)**

_**5 years BBY – "The Truth in the Lies" (In Progress - Part One of the Mandalore Trilogy)  
**_**  
4 years BBY – "The Loss of Hope" (Completed and Updated)**

**0 years BBY – "A New Hope" (In Progress part 1 of the Star Wars Trilogy) **

**0 years BBY – "Blood and Water" (working title – coming soon)**

**2 years ABY - "Revenge of the Death Watch" ( working title - coming soon – Part 2 of the Mandalore Trilogy)**

**3 years ABY – "The Empire Strikes Back" (coming soon – part 2 of the Star Wars Trilogy)**

**3 years ABY – "Rise of the Duchess" (coming soon – part 3 of the Mandalore Trilogy)**

**4 years ABY – "The Return of the Jedi" (coming soon – part 3 of the Star Wars Trilogy)**

**5 years ABY – "In the End, At the Beginning" (Coming soon)**

**9 years ABY "The Thrawn Crisis" (Coming soon)**

**Star Wars: Rebels  
****The Truth in the Lies  
**

"You're not alone

Together we stand

I'll be by your side, you know I'll take your hand

When it gets cold

And it feels like the end

There's no place to go

You know I won't give in

No I won't give in

Keep holding on

'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through

Just stay strong

'Cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you

There's nothing you could say

Nothing you could do

There's no other way when it comes to the truth

So keep holding on

'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through"

_**Chapter 4: The Hand of the Emperor**_

"**EZRA!"**Sabine screamed as she dropped to her knees at Ezra's side, rolling him onto his back into her lap, "Ezra! Ezra? Ezra!" She gasped, shaking him, her eyes wide with panic.

"Sabine, calm down," Aunt Bo said, going to the other side of the boy, "I can't see what's wrong if you keep shaking him… that's not helping, dear heart…"

The elder Mandalorian pressed a few buttons on her gauntlet and the glove retracted leaving her bare hand to touch Ezra's clammy forehead. "He's burning up…" She said, and reached to take him from Sabine's arms, but she tightened her grip. "Sabine, I'm not going to hurt him. He needs help. He's got a very high fever."

Sabine's eyes studied Ezra's pale face, then glanced up to the redheaded elder Mandalorian. "How?"

"How?" Bo asked, tilting her head.

"How can you help him?" Sabine asked, pulling him protectively against her.

"We have medical droids and various medical supplies including Bacta," Bo explained, "Unless you have that in that speeder you came in…"

"How far?" She asked, glancing back down to the boy in her arms.

Bo stood up and replaced her helmet, "Not far, I'll drive… you can keep him relaxed as we travel in your speeder." She said, helping Sabine lift the injured Ezra off the ground. "C'mon, Sabine… let's go home."

Bo held Ezra up while Sabine settled in the passenger seat, then eased Ezra across her lap. "And don't forget this," Bo said, handing Sabine her helmet, "A Mandalorian must never lose his or her helmet, you know better." Bo said, taking the driver's seat and starting the Speeder moving south.

-SW-

Aunt Bo drove the speeder into a tunnel entrance and made several twists and turns before entering an underground rebel base made out of an abandoned Mandalorian dry dock. Sabine glanced up to see a single, roughly scrapped together warship being worked on.

"The _Kryze Remembrance_," Bo responded to the unasked question. She came to a stop at a two story building with the Mando'a medical symbol painted on the side.

"Commander Bo Katan, what's the meaning of this?" a tall man walked out to meet them, a hand on his blaster.

"This is my niece and her friend, and he needs help," Bo stated, glancing back to Sabine, who was still holding on to the unconscious and shivering Ezra. She frowned when she realized he had grown even paler on the ride to the base. "All I know is he fell unconscious with a high fever, Doctor."

"We have to get him inside," the Mando doctor nodded and moved signaled for two medical droids to come out with a gurney. The doctor reached for him, but Sabine with speed that'd make a Jedi jealous, tightened on arm around Ezra's body, and drew one of her blasters. She held it directly at the doctor, with her eyes cold as ice and focused on him.

"Sabine, love, put the blaster down," Bo Katan said, easing toward Sabine's side. "He's a friend and going to help Ezra…"

Sabine's eyes darted between the doctor and her aunt before nodding slowly, "I'm going with him…" She said with a deep frown.

"That's fine," Bo Katan said, giving the doctor a look that said don't challenge this. "c'mon, let's get him on the gurney…" she said as she and the doctor carefully lifted the teen out of Sabine's lap and laid him on the gurney. Sabine climbed from the speeder and put her helmet on and followed along after the droids and her unconscious friend.

Bo Katan watched after them, placing her own helmet back on to hide the concerned expression on her face from her team, then followed along with the doctor.

They made their way through the sterile halls of the medical complex to a medical room with a series of Bacta tanks bubbling along the far wall. The two droids placed Ezra on a medical bed, and the two droids and the doctor began removing his shirt. "I see two blaster wounds on his chest… this is definitely where the fever is coming from… they're both heavily infected. I don't see how he hadn't lost consciousness hours ago… Let alone survived."

"Is he going to be ok?" Sabine asked in a small voice, staring at the inflamed wounds and dark veins leading from them on his chest.

"If he was a normal human being, I'd say start preparing for the funeral…" the Doctor stated, then lifted Ezra's lightsaber, "But it's obvious the Force is strong with him."

"He's not out of the woods, mind you," the doctor stated, "But I refuse to let another Jedi die in my hands… I failed them once, never again. Never again… a long dip in Bacta injected with extra antibiotics will be our best shot. Twelve hours would likely be enough."

He then glanced up, "MT7, fetch me a sedative as well…" The doctor instructed one of the medical droid.

"Sedative?" Sabine squeaked, breathing heavily, "But he's not conscious… why…"

"It's not for the patient; it's for the girlfriend," the Doctor gave a small smile to the girl.

She blinked her brown eyes several moments, glancing from the unconscious teen to the doctor, "I'm not…we're… I'm…"

"Regardless of your relationship, my dear," the Doctor, patted her hand, which had a vice grip on Ezra's, "I'm going to need you to let go for a while, at least until the treatment is finished. Our Bacta tanks are not big enough for two."

"Kix, stop teasing her, and take care of your patient," Bo Katan spoke up. "Come on, Sabine, they're going to have to change his clothes for the Bacta treatment."

Doctor Kix nodded as the older redhead led the reluctant Sabine from the room.

"Stop fidgeting," Bo said to her niece as the door closed behind them. "As soon as they get him soaking we can go back in. You can stay right there and watch him bubble in the Bacta."

"Let's see your life completely fall apart under your feet, and the only one to stand by you might be dying one wall away, then you try to stop fidgeting!" Sabine snapped angrily.

"Like having the only family you have left stolen by the Empire and declared dead?" Bo Katan snapped back, "Try that one."

"What?" Sabine frowned at the older redhead.

"You really don't remember, do you, Dear Heart…" Bo Katan said softly, she loosened her breast armor plate and pulled a folded up piece of paper that was secured over her heart. Wordlessly she handed the old, warn paper to the younger Mando'ade.

Sabine took the paper in both hands. She carefully unfolded it and blinked in surprise at the child-like artwork. It was a picture of a Mandalorian woman, obviously her Aunt Bo, and beside her was another female Mando'ade wearing pink armor. "When the Empire discovered our base… this was all I had left of you, Dear Heart… You were… are the only family I had left… and the Empire ripped it away from me…"

_Bo Katan sighed as she returned home after a successful mission against an Imperial Settlement on Mandalore. The Nite Owls may not be able to stop them from getting a foot hold, but at least they'll make them work for it. _

"_Aunt Bo!" The young sandy brown haired Mandalorian child ran up as the armored Nite Owl leader as she and her raiding squad entered their hidden base. _

_Bo Katan removed her helmet and went to one knee to meet her niece. The two embraced and Bo Katan held her lovingly to her armored chest. "I drew you a picture!" the little girl said holding it out to the older redhead, "It's me and you… when I'm old enough to fight anyways…" _

"_It's wonderful, Sabine," Bo Katan smiled, blinking slightly, "I don't think I recall many Mando'ades wearing pink, but I think it will suit you fine, Dear Heart." She said, touching the little girl's paint-covered cheek. _

"_Commander Kryze," A young rebel recruit that had joined her cell a few weeks earlier walked up. _

"_Captain Piett?" the Nite Owl leader glanced up at the man, before standing to face him, still holding Sabine's hand._

"_We need to debrief, Commander, and prepare for the next mission," Captain Piett stated, standing at attention behind the Mando'ades. _

"_Of course, Captain," Bo stood up, and ruffling Sabine's long brown hair. "Want to come, Dear Heart?" Bo Katan held out her hand. _

"_Perhaps, commander, it would be best to leave the child to her drawing and coloring," Piett suggested, "And leave the adults to discuss the situation freely." _

_Bo Katan glanced from the captain to the little girl, before nodding in agreement, "make me another pretty painting, Sabine, and I'll be back shortly," Bo Katan hugged the little girl, and watched as she ran back to the table covered in paint bottles, brushes, pens, and paper. _

_Bo Katan and Piett entered the war room of the base, and the last adult surviving member of the Kryze Dynasty took her place at the head of the table. "We successfully pushed back the settlement today, my brothers and sisters," Bo stated, "But I fear it was simply a test of our ability and technology. It was hardly a fight." _

"_Seeing how hard our fists and sharp our teeth," another armored warrior nodded, "it makes sense. They want to be sure exactly how to crush us without any of their cowards getting a scar on their soft hides." _

"_They don't want to crush us," Piett shook his head, "But they do want something we have. If we surrender it… surrender her, then they will allow us to govern Mandalore as we see fit, within reason of the Imperial guidelines, of course." _

_Bo Katan narrowed her eyes as all in the room moved their hands toward their weapons, except Captain Piett, who wore a smug smile. "What have you done?" _

"_Made a deal, one little girl, for the sake of Mandalore. I'm sure your sister would agree that the needs of the many out way the needs of the few." He said, as Imperial Storm Troopers walked in to the room. "Don't make this harder than it needs to be, Commander." _

_The Mandalorians opened fire on the Storm Troopers as Piett jumped back behind the white armored soldiers. Meanwhile, Bo Katan, with fear for Sabine, fired a small rocket from her gauntlet, shattering the glass in the overhanging war room and jumped out, making a beeline for where she left her niece. As she ran, she saw her Nite Owls doing battle with Imperials. "Signal the retreat, this stronghold is no longer secure! No Man or Woman left behind!" _

_As she approached her niece's table, her heart jumped into her throat at who was standing before the whole purpose of her facing down the Empire. "GET AWAY FROM HER!" Bo Katan cried out at the black Demon. Darth Vader didn't even take his red-lens covered eyes off the unconscious girl, and held up his armored gloved to deflect Bo Katan's blaster bolts with the palm of his cybernetic hand. _

"_Curious…" Vader said, lifting the unconscious girl with one arm, "I had expected his daughter to be more powerful in the Force. But… she is strong enough." _

"_NO!" Bo Katan tried to rush the Dark Lord of the Sith to protect the child she had raised, but was thrown against the wall with ease. When she woke, it was over and Vader and Sabine were gone. The only thing left was the picture she had given to her moments before… _

"The traitor, Piett, he left with the Imperials who took you," Bo Katan explained, "I long for the day to wrap my hands around his skinny neck…" She glanced away for a moment, "We searched for you for months… we did discover you were taken off world…"

"I remember… you sent me to family to protect me as you fought in your rebellion… and they treated me like poodoo… And then I enlisted in the Military Academy… that 'family', and the Imp Academy I enlisted in never existed… did it?" Sabine looked down at the picture, "What happened to me? Why is my memory different?"

"We'll find out, Dear Heart," Bo Katan stated, placing her hands on her niece's shoulders. She glanced up as Doctor Kix opened the door. "Meantime, looks like we can get you back to your friend."

Kix nodded, and motioned for the two women to enter.

Sabine followed the doctor in, and gasped at the sight of Ezra floating in the Bacta tank. Not so much at the injuries that she still fully blamed herself for, no. What grabbed her attention was seeing that for some time Ezra's coveralls had been hiding a chiseled physique. Ezra dressed only in a breathing mask and tight trunks allowed his every well-defined muscle in his legs and arms, his broad chest, and his washboard abs to be revealed to her examining eyes. Her mouth grew dry as her brown eyes roamed his nearly naked body. When did the kid gain the body of a great warrior? Jedi training was the obvious explanation. Kanan had done wonders with the Kid… was he still a kid? Sabine asked herself, still staring. 'Manda help me…' she breathed to herself.

"I must admit… He has an impressive … lightsaber…" Bo Katan said, standing beside her niece.

"Yeah…" Sabine said, holding up her friend's prized weapon, "It's very unique. He hand-made it with a blaster built in."

"Yeah, but wasn't talking about that," Bo Katan smirked, causing her niece to flush.

"Aunt Bo!" Sabine gasped, mortified, moving to block her aunt's field of vision.

"What, I'm older but I'm not dead," She smiled, "I just got my niece back, I have every right to tease her about her boyfriend."

"The Kid's not my boyfriend…" Sabine hugged herself, avoiding looking at his unconscious form. "He's just my friend… he may still have a crush on me but…"

"Doesn't look very much like a Kid to me," Bo Katan tilted her head, "And running off with you to find out what happened to you and your memory, while life-threateningly injured, and probably using his entire connection to the Force just staying on his feet. That's more than a friend, Sabine, that's more than a crush… That's deeper."

Sabine glanced away from her aunt, and looked to the healing Jedi Padawan in the Bacta tank. "Is he going to be ok?"

"If I have a say in the matter yes," Kix said, taking a moment to glance to his hand, "I have hurt too many Jedi in my time, I will do all I can for any survivors… I still curse that Order 66…" the medic spat as it disgusted him to even give the name to that order.

"Or-Order 66?" Sabine asked with wide, frightened eyes.

"I was… I am a Clone Trooper, m'lady, A proud defender of the Galactic Republic," Kix smiled sadly, "I was once a member of the proud 501st Legion, serving with the mighty Master Obiwan Kenobi, and the Fearless Anakin Skywalker. I have many fond memories of grand battles with the Separatist Droids. I could unleash the Fury of Mandalore without breaking my oath to do no harm when facing enemies of metal and wire."

"A few of my brothers and I were assigned away from Skywalker and Kenobi to go with Jedi Knight Aayla Secura to Felucia. I grew rather close to the Twi'lek Jedi during our campaign in the jungles. She seemed to come to me several times, asking questions on childbearing and such, it wasn't till the final days she finally confided in me that she was with child… her lover, a Jedi Master that I never found out the name of, and she had planned to leave the Order with him and retire to some Outer Rim world to raise their child after the war. I even offered to accompany to be their family physician… She was a fierce warrior, indeed, but a kind and loving woman as well. Even if the Jedi did betray the Republic… She was innocent. She was innocent."

"I remember the day clearly… in every nightmare… which follows me in my waking moments as well…" Kix lowered his eyes, clearly no longer in the room with the two Mando'ades. "We were scouting the perimeter of our camp when… when the com in our helmets activated. The Chancellor, or the Emperor as he prefers now, voice filled our ears. "The time has come" he said to us, "Execute Order 66…" and we lifted our rifles…" Kix shook his head, "She was watching a bird, I was looking at it with her before I lost control of myself, it was very beautiful… she never knew what hit her."

"We Troopers had specific orders programmed into a biochip in our minds… installed when we were formed," he explained, "One of them, Order 66, was the order to destroy any and all Jedi in the event of the Order betraying or attempting a coup against the Galactic Republic… Aayla was innocent…"

"We unloaded our energy clips…" Kix said with a sob, "I remember… I remember her… what was left of her… crawling toward me… unconcerned for herself… concern for her baby… begging for help… she was begging me for help… she was asking me to save her… to save her baby…" Kix trembled as he recalled, "I loaded another clip… and ended her."

"As she died, I regained my control…" Kix glanced to the women, "I haven't touched my blaster rifle since. I have no intention of doing so either. And that is why I will do everything I can to save that young man. He'd be… about the same age as Aayla's child… had they survived." He gave a sad smile, "It is my penance."

"Thank you…" Sabine said softly, "And… I'm sorry…"

"Your welcome and I appreciate your care," Kix nodded, then looked at her curious. "You seemed to recognize Order 66…"

"Yes…" Sabine took a deep breath, and glanced toward the healing wounds on Ezra's chest. Then explained what brought them there.

"So, you unconsciously responded to Order 66?" Kix and Bo Katan frowned. "Do you mind if I do some tests?"

"Be my guest… that's what we came here for, to find out what's wrong with me and how to fix it…" Sabine nodded, and the medic led her to a table, and instructed her to lay down and relax.

"I'm going to do a scan of your brain," He said bringing an apparatus with a thin helmet-like device attached by wires. He placed it upon Sabine's head and activated the machine. He then asked her to remove a glove so he can get a blood sample from her pointer finger. Sabine laid as still as possible, getting softly tapped by the medic every time she fidgeted. She stiffened nervously when he 'hmm'ed out loud.

"Roll to the side for a moment, Sabine," Kix instructed her as he removed the helmet. He made a few more hmm sounds as he felt the back of her head through her hair. "This almost explains things. You have a biochip, m'lady."

"I'm… I'm… I'm a clone?" Sabine's eyes widened in shock and terror.

"No, you're not," Kix shook his head, "if you were, the biochip would have been grown inside you. This was surgically implanted. But it still doesn't fully explain you responding to Order 66. Its programing is different than what I have seen before. Perhaps it's incomplete… but it only has incomplete obedience programming that doesn't seem active, the only programing that seems to be active is Midi-chlorians control suppression."

"Midi-chlorians?" Sabine asked, unfamiliar with the term.

"That was what I tested your blood for," Kix replied, "You have a moderate supply. They are symbiotic lifeforms that life within cells of living beings. If a person has a high enough level, the MCs will allow their hosts to connect to an unknown energy field… known to many across the galaxy as The Force."

"I… I could have been a Jedi?" Sabine looked down at her hands.

Kix shook his head, "At your level of MCs, it's doubtful for you to have a strong enough ability to be trained as a Jedi, but you likely would have had a strong enough Force Sensitivity to be able to have your senses enhanced through the Force. That is, if you didn't have this chip blocking the MCs from connecting with your mind."

"I don't understand why the Empire did this to me…" Sabine shook her head.

"I am sorry, I had hoped to answer some of your questions," Kix sighed, "I seem to have only added to them."

"The Empire didn't want the Jedi to return," Bo Katan spoke up, "Could they have done this as part of a program to stop any other Force Sensitives from becoming Jedi?"

"Doesn't make sense… why did they go to all the trouble of changing her memory and implanting a biochip?" Kix argued, "They could have saved a lot of time and credits by killing her."

"Maybe I'm a sleeper agent…" Sabine asked with a deep gulp. "Maybe… Maybe I was supposed to get involved with a rebel cell … maybe…"

"That IS possible, but doesn't feel right either… you should have turned on the whole crew," Bo Katan shook her head, "You only went for the Jedi members… Sabine, get some rest. As soon as Ezra is finished with his Bacta treatment… we're going to pay the Imperial Consulate a visit…"

-SW-

Ezra groaned as he slowly felt himself waking up. As his mind slowly began to sort through the fog, he began to check things over. First thing, he was stiff and sore, check, but the pain in his chest was lessoned. The second thing he was laying on cold metal. But that added more question, where was his coveralls? Why was he laying naked or next to naked on a piece of cool metal? This… hasn't happened in a long time.

"Ezra?" His eyes blinked open at the sound of Sabine's voice.

"Sabine?" Ezra asked, slowly and stiffly sitting up. His eyes widened and he became fully alert when Sabine threw herself on him, wrapping him in a nearly rib-cracking hug.

Everything made sense. He was still unconscious and dreaming now. Sabine doesn't hug. Thus, it was the logical conclusion that this was all a fevered dream.

"When you fell and had such a high fever… I thought… don't scare me like that again, Ezra Bridger!" Sabine growled, hitting him hard in the arm.

"I'm not dreaming?" Ezra blinked, glancing around, "What?"

"How are you feeling, Jedi?" Bo Katan asked, leaning against the door.

"What?" Ezra's head snapped to the elder redhead.

"Your boyfriend speaks Basic, doesn't he?" Bo Katan rolled her eyes, and glanced to her niece.

"What?" His eyes widened even farther.

"Aunt Bo…" Sabine growled.

"Aunt… Bo?" Ezra asked, as Sabine pulling away from her friend.

"Ezra, this is my aunt Bo Katan Kryze," Sabine motioned to the redheaded Mando'ade, "Aunt Bo, this is my BEST friend, not BOY friend, Ezra Bridger, Jedi Knight."

"But I'm just…" Sabine pinched his arm hard, making him flinched "very happy to meet you!" He then glanced down to his trunks, "And very confused… where's my clothes?"

"Cleaned and patched up," Bo Katan tossed a folded packet toward the young man. "Soon as you're dressed and up, we're going to go find out what the Empire did to my niece and your girlfriend."

"Are you even listening to me?" Sabine sighed.

Ezra quickly slid into his coveralls, and found his boots, belt and gauntlets at the side of the metal hospital table. "My Lightsaber?" he asked as he lifted his belt.

Sabine nodded, and unclipped the weapon from her belt and handed it to him. "Kept it safe and sound for you," She offered.

"Thanks…" he said, taking it from her hand, and both felt their cheeks heat up as their fingers brushed as they passed the lightsaber.

"You two can catch on the way to the Consulate, the administrative office is closed at this hour but we have to move if we're going to have time to dig," Bo Katan said, putting on her helmet, turning and leaving the med bay.

Ezra and Sabine looked at each other and nodded. Sabine put on her helmet as Ezra put on his boots and hopped off the bed. "You ok?" Sabine asked, glancing toward her friend.

"Gave me a Bacta bath right?" Ezra asked, placing a hand on his healed injury, "Handy stuff… yeah, I'm good. Let's move, Sabine."

The two teens followed after Bo Katan, who led them to ship bay with a variety of small ships and shuttles. The elder Mando led the two to an Imperial Shuttle. "We should be able to get in and out quick with this shuttle. Hopefully we'll find what we're looking for and get out without a fight."

"Normally I don't shy away from explosions, but I think that'd be the best idea right now…" Sabine nodded, as Bo Katan piloted the shuttle into the air and out of the hidden base.

-SW-

Just as they had hoped, getting into the Consulate was easy, far easier than they expected. It was the middle of the night, so most of the officers were far away from the central office of the Imperial Consulate, and the guards were minimal. On top of the Nite Owl had been attacking the more military tech locations, so majority of the Storm Trooper presence was redirected to protect the bases, and a large number of Troopers had been transferred from Mandalore to Lothal after the recent destruction of Grand Moff Tarkin's flagship left the guard stretched out at best.

The three carefully made it through the offices to the Mandalore Imperial Minister's office. Once they made it to the door, Sabine and Bo Katan drew their weapons, as Ezra hacked the door. "Little faster…" Sabine whispered, as they heard a guard approaching.

"Got it, hurry!" Ezra hissed as the door slid open, and the three quickly entered and closed the door behind them, with only seconds to spare.

"We need to get into the computer system," Ezra said, glancing to the desk.

"Leave that to me," Sabine said moving to the seat and began bringing the computer up.

It took her a few moments to hack the system, and Ezra couldn't fight the smile as Sabine concentrated on her work with her eyes narrowed and her tongue slightly sticking out of the corner of her mouth. She didn't notice his adoring gaze, but Bo Katan did. She was amused and saddened. She was happy that her niece had found someone who cared for her, but saddened that she wasn't there to watch her grow into the woman and warrior that would catch the eye of a young Jedi.

"I'm in!" Sabine exclaimed in a hushed voice, and Ezra and Bo Katan quickly moved to stand behind her.

"I'm searching for my name now…" Sabine said, typing in her name into a record search, filtered to the time frame of her kidnapping.

"Found something…" Sabine said softly, her hand trembling over the keyboard.

"So, what are you waiting for…" Bo Katan asked.

"What if…" She gulped.

"I'm with you, Sabine," Ezra placed a hand on her shoulder, "I'm right here. Whatever it says, we're going to face it together."

Sabine nodded, closed her eyes, and hit enter.

A picture of her at age 11 appeared on the screen, but most of the file was heavily coded. The only thing that was in basic was Sabine's name, a registration number, and a Project name.

"Project _Emperor's Hand_?" Ezra shook his head, "What could that be?"

"I don't know, but I don't like the sound of it…" Bo Katan frowned.

"It's heavily coded… I think I can hack it, but it's going to take time…" Sabine frowned, looking over the file.

"Can you download it?" Bo Katan glanced to the door, "We are already on borrowed time."

"Yeah, I can… let's get it and get back to base…" Sabine nodded, pulling a data chip from her belt and plugging it into the computer.

-SW-

Little that the three know, when they pulled up that particular file, it sent an alert to Coruscant. In a dark, dreary throne room walled with Sith Artifacts dating back to the original Sith Empire and the legendary Sith Lord Darth Bane sat an old man dressed in dark robes upon a black throne. His sickly yellow eyes opened as a single light began to flash on the arm rest of his throne. His heavily scarred face turned into an evil smile. "So… a prodigal daughter has returned, has she?" The old man chuckled to himself.

He pulled up security footage of the group in the Minister's office on Mandalore, his yellow eyes studied them all, the lightsaber on the boy's belt, obviously a Padawan, and the two Mandalorian females. The younger one he recognized as one of the recruits Lord Vader had taken years earlier.

Dark laughter filled the throne room as he sat back and closed his eyes, concentrating on one of his most beloved Hands. "Mara…" the Emperor whispered as he closed his eyes.

At that moment in a large chamber behind the bridge of the Star Destroyer _Ultimatum_, a beautiful, young girl, no more than sixteen years old, sat kneeling in meditation. Her head was bowed low, masking her face with her long crimson hair. Her green eyes widened a moment before snapping her head up, "What is your bidding, My Master?" She asked to the empty room. "The Training facility on Mandalore... yes, Master, it will be nice to see it again... a Jedi Padawan... may I have his lightsaber after I destroy him? Thank you, My Master... Your Hand will do your bidding..."

She stood up letting her cloak fly open to reveal her dancer's frame hardly hidden by a skin tight black body suit. She left her chamber and glared coldly at the Captain of the Star Destroyer who was standing at the head of the bridge. "Captain Sloane, set a course for Mandalore on the Emperor's orders."

"As you wish, m'lady..." the Captain bowed, and repeated the order for the crew.

**To Be Continued...**

Next chapter: The Truth in the Lies will be revealed as Ezra and Sabine face what she could have been...

Also, have to shout out to check out Slayzer's Journey into Darkness. Really enjoyed it so far and he has a great way of writing Ezra, Sabine and the gang, also Blind Trust is a great read of his if you haven't checked it out. Great reads!

Sorry it took so long, real life can interrupt writing unfortunately but next and last chap has been started and should be posted soon!


	5. Chapter 5

Note: Here are the incomplete plans for my Rebels "Expanded Universe" chronology: (BBY = Before Battle of Yavin/ ABY = After Battle of Yavin ). It is tentative and can change.

**5 years BBY – "Star Wars Rebels season 1" (Disney XD series)**

**5 years BBY – "The Truth in the Lies" (Now Completed - Part One of the Mandalore Trilogy)**

**4 years BBY – "The Loss of Hope" (Completed and Updated)**

**0 years BBY – "A New Hope" (In Progress part 1 of the Star Wars Trilogy) **

**0 years BBY – "Blood and Water" (working title – coming soon)**

**2 years ABY - "Revenge of the Death Watch" (Working title - coming soon – Part 2 of the Mandalore Trilogy)**

**3 years ABY – "The Empire Strikes Back" (coming soon – part 2 of the Star Wars Trilogy)**

**3 years ABY – "Rise of the Duchess" (coming soon – part 3 of the Mandalore Trilogy)**

**4 years ABY – "The Return of the Jedi" (coming soon – part 3 of the Star Wars Trilogy)**

**5 years ABY – "In the End, At the Beginning" (Coming soon)**

**9 years ABY "The Thrawn Crisis" (Coming soon)**

**Star Wars: Rebels  
The Truth in the Lies  
**

**Chapter 5: The Truth in the Lies **

"**Like a small boat on the ocean… **

**Sending big waves into motion… **

**Like how a single word… **

**Can make a heart open… **

**I might only have one match…**

**But I can make an explosion. **

**This is my fight song**

**Take back my life song **

**Prove I'm alright song **

**My power's turn on**

**Starting right now I'll be strong**

**I'll play my fight song**

**And I don't really care **

**If nobody else believes **

**Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me**

**I've got a lot of fight left in me" **

"**Fight Song" – Rachel Platten **

**-SW-**

Inside Sabine's cabin, a few low lights and her data pad was all that illuminated the room in the late hour. Her light brown eyes were squinted as she stared at her datapad and continued to decode the file. She blinked in surprise as a steaming cup of caf was sat between her and her pad. She smiled up at Ezra as she sat down her tablet and lifted the cup to her lips. "Thank you," She whispered after a long, soothing sip.

"You're going to have to rest sometime, Sabine…" Ezra smile as he stood beside his friend.

"Once I get this decoded," Sabine said, glancing to Ezra before going back to work.

"Getting anywhere?" the young Padawan asked, sitting down beside her.

"It's taking forever," Sabine sighed, staring at the tablet struggling to decipher the files on her.

"Can you at least find the location of where they did this to you?" Ezra asked, also focusing on the datapad.

"The whole thing is coded, Ezra," Sabine shook her head.

"How did you get out anyway?" Ezra crossed his arms across his chest.

"I was taken in by a Bounty Hunter who raided 'the academy' for an Imperial Agent who had crossed someone with apparently deep pockets. He found me and took me in. Taught me everything I know about explosives and also encouraged my art. Unlike Hera he allowed me to paint his ship…" Sabine smiled fondly at her memory of her time as a bounty hunter, "He became like a father to me…"

"Can he tell us where it is?" Ezra asked.

"Thought of that earlier, but he finds me, not the other way around," Sabine shook her head, "He's contracted with a major crime lord. With my work with Hera and Kanan's Rebel Cell, he felt it would be better for us to keep me completely in the dark on his current work."

"Hmm…" Ezra bit his lip as he stared at the data pad. "What if you didn't decipher the full file, just a certain lines? Just to get the location?"

"That would be easier, but we'd have to know where it is…" Sabine blinked, frustration growing in her voice.

"One thing I've picked up, helping the others hack Imperial Intel… Imperial files are as uniform as the rest of everything else they do."

Sabine's eyes lit up, realizing what Ezra was talking about. "We see where they put coordinates, then decode that location of my file!" Sabine exclaimed, "Kid, you're a genius!"

They found an imperial report and compared it to the coded file, and began working on the area that should hold coordinates. Within fifteen minutes, they had a location in the distant, long abandoned northern desert region of the planet. "Should we get your Aunt and a team?"

Sabine was quiet for a moment before shaking her head, "I don't want to put anyone else in danger," Sabine shook her head, "I really don't want to put you in danger either… I'll just swipe one of Aunt Bo's shuttles and go check it out myself."

"I don't think so, you need someone to watch your back," Ezra shook his head. "I'm all patched up, we have a destination. Let's go and get this fixed."

Sabine stared back at him, searching her mind for an argument but knew he was right. She would need someone to watch her back going into relatively unknown situation. "Fine, let's get out of here…" Sabine nodded, and the two teens left her quarters and thought they had made it to the shuttles unseen. As their small ship left the hidden base, Bo Katan stood watching over their exit, before turning and pressing a few buttons on her armor's gauntlet, read the coordinates from her connection to Sabine's data pad then pressed another few keys. "Bo Katan to Fulcrum, Fulcrum respond," She waited a moment, "Yes… Transmitting coordinates now."

-SW-

The small shuttle flew over the desert and as they approached the coordinates concern washed over the two teens. They passed over several anti-aircraft weapons, but not a single movement against them.

"Either this place is abandoned…" Sabine said from the pilot's seat of the shuttle.

"Or this is a trap…" Ezra finished.

"Not like it's the first one we've ever walked into," Sabine smiled at her friend, as she brought the shuttle down on the seemingly long abandoned facility.

Ezra and Sabine exited the ship and Ezra blinked in surprise when Sabine handed him one of two leather bags.

"What's this?" Ezra asked curiously.

"We're going to set these as we go," Sabine said, putting on her helmet, "As we go, we're going to set these. As soon as I find out what we need to know, I'm ending this place once and for all."

Ezra looked hesitant for a moment, but knowing what this place had done to her he also wanted to see it go up in flames. "Let's get to it. Ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be…" Sabine said, "Let's go…"

They made it to the main entrance, which was a massive blast door. "Someone's been here… very recently…" Sabine said as Ezra manipulated a few of the explosives under the walkway with the Force.

"Trap, definitely a trap…" Ezra nodded.

"Can you open it?" Sabine asked, as he moved to look at the lock.

"Not with my hack tool…" Ezra said after a moment, and before Sabine could ask what they were going to do, he stepped back and held out his hand to the blast door.

Sabine watched in amazement, no matter how many times she had seen Ezra and Kanan use the Force, it still was a sight to see. After shaking a few moments, the door was pushed upward, and was wedged open.

"Ladies first," Ezra made an exaggerated bow and motioned for the now opened door.

Sabine's eye roll was hidden by her helmet as she walked inside and Ezra slowly walked in. the metallic utilitarian halls were dark and covered in cobwebs and dust. "We're not going to find out what's here if we just wonder up and down the halls…" Ezra noted.

Sabine nodded, and picked a door, and pressed the control button. When the door opened Sabine gasped. "What in the name of the Force…" Sabine breathed.

Ezra followed her inside and inside the large room was what looked like a small desert colony. "This was where Aunt Bo left me… this is where I remember as a child…"

"So they faked your memories here…" Ezra said. Sabine nodded, then glanced at him when he threw three explosives into the room. "This isn't real, Sabine." He turned to the girl, "This isn't your home, your home is on the _Ghost_ with us."

"But what if they don't take us back?" Sabine asked.

"Then we get our own ship, make our own rebel cell, and keep fighting, just like Kanan and Hera taught us." Ezra smiled.

"And I'll be the leader," Sabine said, turning and leaving the chamber, welcoming Ezra's distraction of the disturbing situation.

"But Kanan's the leader of our cell…" Ezra frowned.

"Sure he is…" Sabine smirked behind her helmet.

As they both expected, every door in the hallway led to another scene from a memory of Sabine's that never happened, be it with her 'family' or the academy. And each time, Ezra or Sabine would deposit a set of explosives.

"We can cover more ground if we split up," Sabine stated.

"Are you sure?" Ezra asked, concern in his voice.

"The shock is almost off now, Kid," Sabine nodded, "I'll be fine." Now go lay some explosives this way, I'll go this way. When we're done we meet back here."

Sabine continued on her hallway, and much the same, she would take in the false memory the room provided, and return it with an explosive. "Looks like this is the last one…" Sabine whispered, "Wonder what's behind Door number… lost count… just open it already, Sabine…" She cursed at herself, before she hit the button. And instead of an empty room she came face to face with a redheaded teenaged girl who was smiling back at her.

"Wha?" She asked, but the girl wordlessly held up a holocommunicator, and before Sabine could respond a hologram of a cloaked figure appeared before Sabine. He said a few words and her eyes dilated.

-SW-

Ezra had just finished placing explosives in the rooms in his hallway, and was on his way back to meet his friend. The only room left was the center most chamber, which he assumed was the command center. They had both agreed to save it for last. And as he made his way to the fork in the hallway, he saw the multicolored Mandalorian awaiting him. "Mission complete, Sabine. We got one room left. Ready?" he asked with a smile on his face.

His smile faded as she mechanically turned toward him and lifted her blasters.

He barely ducked the first barrage of bolts sent his way, and activated his lightsaber to deflect the next. "Sabine! It's me!"

"I am broken, incomplete," her emotionless voice spoke, "I am unfit now to be a Hand. But I still have purpose. I am to destroy the Jedi Padawan I lured here for my Master. And then, My Master may not see me as unfit. I will be made whole."

"This isn't you…" Ezra said, deflecting her blasts, "Sabine I don't want to fight you."

_Don't fight her, Ezra._

"Kanan?" Ezra asked, deflecting another set of blaster bolts.

_Reach out to her, Ezra, trust in the Force, trust in your bond. You have one, now trust in it, build upon it. Trust in the Force, Ezra, trust in yourself, and trust in her_…

"Here goes…" Ezra deactivated his lightsaber, "Sabine… listen to me…" He said, reaching out into the Force, focusing his mind on her presence, and her presence alone.

The hallway darkened and Ezra found himself in a shadowy, frightening chamber with walls of muted colors. "Sabine?" In the corner he found her, a little girl with long dark hair curled into herself crying in fear. "Sabine, it's me, you're stronger than this. I need you to stand up and fight, Sabine…"

"You don't belong here, Boy…" a gravely voice spoke from behind him. Ezra turned to find a frail-looking old man in dark robes, with sickening yellow eyes.

"I don't know who you are, but I'm telling you right now, leave her alone," Ezra said, standing between the frightened child and the old man.

"You dare command me, your Emperor?" the old man growled, "I fear you are dead already… and the girl is mine."

"The Emperor?" Ezra took a moment of fear before he heard Sabine's fearful sobs, "I'm not dead yet, and if I have to die to protect her, than I guess that's how I gotta go…" he said drawing his lightsaber.

"You are a foolish one, Boy," the Emperor laughed frighteningly, "I will enjoy ending you…" He said, drawing his own red lightsaber.

Ezra and the Emperor's sabers met and Ezra was surprised by the raw power from the old man. Ezra struggled to even stay on the defensive as the Emperor's attacks, and his insane cackling didn't help his focus. "You think you can defeat me, Boy? I killed Jedi MASTERS! You are an insect!"

Ezra tried his best to beat him. He was giving his all to protect Sabine. But sometimes the best isn't good enough. And as raw pain ran from his elbow up, and his lightsaber and lower arm went flying from the Emperor's upward slash, he saw that this was one of those times.

Ezra screamed in pain and grasped his burning stub as he fell to his knees

"You've lost, Boy, the girl is mine…" the Emperor said, standing over the injured Ezra.

Meanwhile, young Sabine stared at Ezra's discarded lightsaber.

"Sabine, he can't win here," a figure with crystal blue eyes and a greying beard, dressed in traditional Jedi robes spoke with a regal accent, standing beside the girl. "But you can. You have to stand, you may not be a Jedi, but you are a fighter. So, fight, Sabine. You can do it. You don't have to defeat him, all you have to do is cut his ties here."

Sabine picked up Ezra's lightsaber, "You can fight him, Sabine, break the bond he has over you and you will be free…"

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Sabine stood and found herself at her true age in her traditional armor.

"You dare defy me, Child?" the Emperor growled at the girl, "You think you can strike me down?" he shook his head sadly, "And I had hoped you could be salvageable…"

"I can't strike you down, but I can break us up…" Sabine focused her mind's eye on the thin thread of energy connecting her to him, and using a strike of all the strength she head she brought Ezra's lightsaber across it, severing it.

"NOOOOOO!" The Emperor cried as he was pulled from her mind, and back into his throne room.

With an angry growl he slammed his fist against the armrest of his throne and reached out through the Force. "Mara Jade, destroy them both."

-SW-

"Hey, Ezra, wake up," Ezra blinked when he felt Sabine's gloved hand slapping his cheek. He sat up quickly when he remembered what happened. His eyes went to his tingling hand.

"But… he cut it off…" Ezra asked, working his hand.

"Happened in my head," Sabine said, holding out her hand to help him up, "and… I'm free… with a big help from you and that other Jedi."

"What other Jedi?" Ezra asked, confused.

"You didn't know him?" Sabine blinked, shaking her head, "I … he did seem familiar…"

"Can we talk about it when we don't have Storm Troopers rushing us?" Ezra asked, as the sound of boots coming down both hallways.

"Good idea…" Sabine nodded, putting her helmet back on, and the two ran back toward their shuttle.

The two ran outside the base and could see a Star Destroyer hovering in the distance. "Not good…" Ezra said, turning from the intimidating warship to their own means of escape. Both came to a sudden stop as their shuttle exploded violently.

"There went our ride…" Sabine said, back toward the base.

"And we're trapped…" Ezra said turning to see a legion of Storm Troopers with a redhead in skin tight black leather and a purple lightsaber lighting the platform.

The girl lifted her lightsaber and then let it drop. Ezra and Sabine barely were able to duck behind some old shipping crates before the barrage of bolts started firing.

"This is bad," Sabine said, pulling off her helmet.

"We've made it through worse…" Ezra said, gripping his lightsaber.

"When?" Sabine cocked an eyebrow.

"Well…" Ezra glanced away, and ducked as a blast got too close.

"There's nothing else to do, then…" Sabine said, lifting up the remote for the various bombs they had placed throughout the complex.

Ezra gave her a side long look and she sighed, "We'll have fifteen minutes to keep them occupied, so maybe we'll take them with us."

"Never know… We might even make it through this," Ezra smiled, giving her a salute with his lightsaber.

Sabine nodded and put on her protective helmet. "Ezra…" Sabine started, glancing away from him, "_Ni kar'taylir darasuum gar_."

"Uh, I don't speak Mandalorian… what does that mean?" Ezra asked in slight confusion.

"We survive this, I might tell you," Sabine said, and he could imagine the smirk on her face.

Ezra nodded and the two started to count to three. Once they hit the count of three, they jumped from behind their cover and made their rush, but they were not alone. A Corellian modified VCX-100 light freighter zoomed over firing at the storm troopers.

"The Ghost!" Sabine exclaimed as the ramp opened as it hovered over them, a moment later, Kanan, Zeb, Ahsoka Tano and Bo Katan jumped weapons blasting and swinging.

"Next time you two say I'm a trouble magnet," Zeb growled, swinging his staff to wipe out a couple of troopers, "I'm bringing up you two bringing a whole blasted legion on your heads!"

"Missed you, too, Zeb…" Ezra said, firing a few bolts from his lightsaber's hilt.

"Are you two ok?" Kanan asked, deflecting some blasts.

"We are now… I think…" Ezra replied.

"But we only have…" Sabine looked at her digital display on her wrist, "Twelve minutes till this place goes sky high…"

"Then we must hurry…" Ahsoka stated, turning to lock up one of her twin sabers with Mara Jade's purple blade. "Rather young for an Inquisitor…" Ahsoka stated, clashing blades with the young girl.

"I am far beyond the Inquisitors, Tano…" Mara grinned darkly, "I know who you are, and my master wants your head. I'll happily provide it."

"You may try…" Ahsoka frowned, before launching into a series of attacks that sent the girl back stepping quickly.

"What?" the redhead's eyes were wide in shock, holding up her saber in a defensive stance, "You… you were trained by Vader as well?"

Ahsoka took a defensive stance as well. "Your style, you use Vader's modifications to the Lightsaber styles… you learned from him?" the redhead growled, glaring daggers at the girl, disgust at anyone who had any connection to her Master's mechanical pet.

Ahsoka stared, she had once tried to find out who was within the mechanical life support after the Lothal Cell's escape from the planet, but the raw anger and hatred within his spirit blocked her probe to the point of physical pain.

Meanwhile the Lothal Cell stood together once again, fighting against the Storm Troopers. "Clock's ticking, guys…" Sabine said, firing a few blasts from cover.

"Spectre Two, we need to go, NOW," Kanan spoke into his comm.

"Negative, Spectre One," Hera replied, "That Star Destroyer has a target lock, if we try to leave orbit we'll be in range and get blasted to pieces before we could even think about jumping to Hyperspace…"

Kanan frowned and glanced at the Star Destroyer. "Ezra!" Kanan called, "Need you over here!" He said running to the railing of the platform.

"Ezra, I'm going to need your help doing this…" Kanan said as his Padawan ran to his side. "Sabine, watch our backs."

"You're going to trust me…" Sabine stared.

"Best way to see if this little vacation of yours served its purpose, huh?" the elder Jedi smirked. Sabine stared a moment longer before nodding and started firing at any approaching troopers.

"So what are we doing, Master?" Ezra asked.

"Remember what I told you Master Yoda always said?" Kanan nodded.

"Do or Do Not, there is no Try?" Ezra asked.

"Well, yeah, that but also Size Matters Not," Kanan said, reaching out toward the Star Destroyer.

"We're going to crash a STAR DESTROYER?" Ezra asked.

"Concentrate on it, grab on to it with the Force and PULL DOWN!" Kanan said and the two Jedi reached out their hands toward the war ship, and concentrated on the Force.

Sweat beaded on their foreheads and their teeth clinched as they struggled.

The battle slowly stopped as the Star Destroyer started to tilt to one side, and its emergency sirens screamed. "Keep going, Ezra! We almost got it! Trust in the Force!" Kanan growled encouragingly.

"TAKE IT DOWN!" Zeb yelled as he and Sabine cheered, and the Storm Troopers stared in awe and fear. Bo Katan stared in amazement herself, it's been so long since she witnessed Obiwan Kenobi using the raw power of the Force.

Ahsoka glanced to see what was happening, and seeing the odds were turning from her favor, Mara slipped away into the shadows.

Ezra and Kanan now were both trembling with sweat running down their faces, but within moments the tip of the Star Destroyer pointed downward and slammed into the Mandalorian sand. The sound of screaming metal and explosions echoed across the desert sand as the Star Destroyer bent from impact and exploded violently.

"IT'S DOWN, MOVE IT!" Sabine yelled, and the _Ghost_ lowered down and hovered with the gangplank open.

Storm Troopers resumed fire, Bo Katan took off with her rocket pack and Kanan and Ahsoka grabbed Zeb and Force jumped up into the ship, while Ezra and Sabine ran side by side, they glanced back as the bombs began to explode within the base, and Ezra reached for Sabine. He scooped her up bridal style and jumped into the ship, and as they hit the ground rolling, Sabine held protectively close to the young Jedi, Kanan cried out over the comm. "GO!"

Sabine glanced out the still open gangplank as the base that had twisted her life, went up in a massive explosion, the flames rising up in the shape of the star bird.

"Good job you two," Ahsoka said as she, Kanan, and Zeb approached.

Ezra stepped between them and the Mando'ade, his hand resting on his lightsaber.

"Ezra, it's ok," Sabine placed a hand on his shoulder.

"She's right, everything's ok," Kanan said.

"Yeah… look, Kids…" Zeb scratched the back of the head, "Sorry for how I acted, especially toward you, Sabine… It's just, me and traitors and all… if it makes you feel better you can dye my fur…"

"You know… it actually might help," Sabine smiled, and Zeb gulped audibly.

"Ezra! Sabine!" Hera cried, running full speed into the two teens and grabbing them into a hug.

"Don't you EVER run away like that again! I was so worried!" She glanced over the two, "Either of you hurt? Are you both ok?" She then turned to Sabine, "Are you ok?"

Sabine took off her helmet, smiled and nodded, "Yeah, I'm ok now… big thanks to Ezra." She said glancing at her friend.

"Impressive work, Sabine," Bo Katan stated, crossing her arms, "I'd love for you to come home and join my group but…" She drifted off.

"I'll come back to visit," Sabine walked up to her aunt, "But… I have a home now."

"With them," Bo Katan finished for her, hugging the young woman, and whispered in her ear, "With him."

"No comment," Sabine rolled her eyes, as she hugged her aunt back.

-SW-

"This is unlike you, Mara…" the Emperor's gravelly voice spoke.

"I know…" the redhead gritted her teeth.

"You have never failed me before," the Emperor stated.

"Please forgive your servant, My Master…" Mara whispered softly.

"You will face them again, and you will defeat them," the Emperor stated, She started to smile, but his next statement brought dread. "After you go through retraining with Lord Vader."

"Y-Yes My Master…" Mara whimpered.

"You fear…" the Emperor smiled, as the sound Vader's mechanical breathing filled the chamber. "Good…"

'kussssssssh kaaaaaaaah'

-SW-

The _Ghost _had dropped Bo Katan off at her base, and after a short farewell and promise of visit and regular contact, they had left orbit to meet up with Fulcrum's Blockade Runner. Hera was curious why Ahsoka didn't want to go back to the Fleet, but had learned the secretive Jedi had her own ways.

Now, while they were moving toward the Rebel Fleet, Hera worked on performing maintenance on Chopper in the commons, while pretending not to listen in to Ezra and Sabine's conversation over a light lunch.

"Oh! You said you'd tell me if we survived, and here we are," Ezra said, causing Hera to stop moving to listen closer. "_Ni kar'taylir darasuum gar_? What did that mean?" Hera gasped, and Ezra glanced in her direction, and she pretended to have pinched a finger.

When he glanced back Sabine had put on her helmet. "Oh… yeah… that. Yeah, it's an old Mando'a saying. It means… um… it means _I'm happy to have fought by your side_."

Ezra blinked, thinking that may not be exactly what it meant but had no reason to doubt her. Well, I'm happy to fight by yours, too, Sabine," He said, giving her a quick, awkward hug, before getting up and leaving the room.

As soon as the door closed, Hera got up and sat down beside her. "Sabine… That wasn't what that meant…" She said with a coy smile.

"And he's not going to find out what that means, until I'm ready…" Sabine stated, getting up and walking out to end that conversation.

Hera just smiled and shook her head, "Teenagers…" she said to herself, and rolled her eyes.

-SW-

Ahsoka sat with her childhood friend Lux on the bridge of her ship, lost in thought. "Rebel Command to Ahsoka, you ok?" Lux asked, bringing Ahsoka out of her daze.

"What?" the Jedi blinked in confusion.

"You ok?" Lux asked.

"I…"

'You were trained by Vader, too?' the question the redheaded assassin asked rang in her mind. Just the thought of the Empire training more Force Sensitives as assassins was bad, unsurprising but bad. Wasn't the first Ahsoka had crossed, but she had hoped that Starkiller was the last. After all, the Inquisitors were bad enough... 'You were trained by Vader, too?' but she hadn't been. She was trained by Anakin. She may have picked up a few things from Starkiller, the clone of Vader's Apprentice, but he had completely forsaken the Sith Lord's style in favor of his own modified styles, so that wasn't enough to pick up a lightsaber style print ...

"Lux, I'll be in my ready room..." She said turning from her friend and making her way to the currently empty room in the back of the bridge.

Something was nagging her, had been since the first time she had ever crossed paths with the Dark Lord of the Sith. She felt... something connecting her to the Sith. but as her balance between light and dark was already teetering she didn't feel comfortable it. But now, she felt she had no choice. She would have to reach out to him again. And this time, she had to force pass the rage…

Once she was sure she was alone, she relaxed herself and reached out into the Force, seeking out this unknown connection with their dangerous enemy. the room around her grew dark, so dark that the room itself disappeared. Leaving on her and...

'kussssssssh kaaaaaaaah' her eyes snapped open, and she found herself standing face to face with Darth Vader.

"You... Who are you?" Ahsoka asked the Dark Lord.

"Search your feelings, for you already have your answer," Vader's booming synthetic voice filled her ears.

Within the vision, Vader's mechanical armor faded leaving only black robes and familiar face. "No... please no..." Ahsoka shook her head as her heart clinched in pain and terror. "Not you... it can't be you... please..."

"You know it to be true... Snips..." said the yellow-eyed, deathly pale Anakin Skywalker.

"Why..." tears rolled from Ahsoka's eyes as she stared at the perverted visage of her master, her best friend.

"It's the only way," Anakin said, holding out his hand, "Join me, Ahsoka," he offered, "Join me and together we can overthrow the Emperor and bring true peace and true control over this galaxy... as Emperor... and Empress..."

"Join you? Follow you into the Dark Side?" Ahsoka was now crying freely, "Don't you see what you're doing? Don't you see what you've become? Anakin, you're breaking my heart... You've gone on a path I can't follow..."

Something she said struck home because his face twisted in a mix of pain and anger. The emotional response was only seen for a moment, as the black horrific armor returned. "So be it... know this, Ahsoka Tano... when next we meet, I will destroy you..."

With that warning she was back in her ready room. She dropped instantly to her knees. She silently sobbed for several moment before she released a heartbroken scream and released a wave of the Force that shoved every loose object against the walls around her.

"Ahsoka!" Lux cried, entering the room, great concern on his face.

"Get out! GET OUT!" Ahsoka yelled angrily, using the Force to push the man back out of the room and slamming the door shut.

"Why?! WHY?" She yelled pounding her fists against the floor before falling to her side and pulling her knees to her chest. "Why..."

It had been a lie that Anakin Skywalker was dead. And to Ahsoka Tano, the Lie was better than the Truth…

**The End… **

**And that's a wrap! I really hopped to have this up and done before Siege of Lothal aired, but it wasn't meant to be. I had to do some minor alterations to the final scene, but nothing major. Loved the episode. And I hope you've enjoyed this story. More tales of our favorite Rebels by me are on the way! And it won't be the last time our heroes meet Mara Jade... also, don't forget to review! Hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it!  
**

**Oh, and by the way … for those who don't know the Mandalorian phrase: "**_Ni kar'taylir darasuum gar" _**translation: "I love you"**

**Until next time, May the Force Be With You!**


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